Bonum Certa Men Certa

Microsoft 'Pulls a Russia' in Brazil

Brazilian flag



Summary: Microsoft Latin America takes additional steps to crack down on adoption of GNU/Linux in the region (e.g. in all Brazilian schools), using old FUD and indoctrination/brainwashing of journalists

A FEW days ago we shared transcripts of an audiocast explaining how Microsoft overcomes Free software policies in Brazil. We also have this wiki page about Microsoft's dirty dealings in Brazil.



"Microsoft criticizes Brazilian government's position about free software" teaches us this new page which highlights new FUD and contains responses in there:

Microsoft criticizes Brazilian government's position about free software



The president of Microsoft Latin America, Hernán Rincón, sent word to Brazilian government: "innovation software does not happen in the hands of governments but the private sector."

The statement came after he was questioned about the government's position of supporting programs with open source like Linux.

In a meeting with journalists from Latin America in Bellevue, Wash., he said this morning: "Governments have to ask: what business is to serve their citizens and develop software? Innovation is at private sector. "

According to Rincon, free programs require more work and investment from the government to keep them running and updated - which does not happen when companies take care of that for the government.


Brazil is already on Microsoft's hit/hot/heat list/map because of high GNU/Linux adoption over there, and the same goes for Russia (see this discussion and Microsoft table from a very recent post). A few days ago we explained how shameless damage control after the Russia case/blunder actually helps Microsoft stifle GNU/Linux adoption in Russia. OpenBytes called it what it is.

Which I believe shows that this is now an exercise in damage control as Microsoft did not envisage a situation where the story would become so big.

Too little too late Microsoft, these new licenses should have been in place years ago if you really are pro-NGO.


Even Human Rights First slammed Microsoft over it.

Public Knowledge from Washington had this to say:

This week, the New York Times reported that Russian authorities were searching the offices and seizing the computers of public interest non-governmental organizations (NGOs) disfavored by the government, under the guise of enforcing Microsoft copyrights. Microsoft itself seemed to have some role in this enforcement practice as well, with its lawyers in these cases apparently pressing for criminal charges and refusing to pass on to authorities evidence that the software was legitimately purchased.

One of the first things Microsoft said in its defense was that it was required to obey Russian laws when it operates there—certainly true of any company operating overseas. But the unique situation here is that, since the charges against the organizations stem from ostensible infringements of Microsoft’s copyrights, Microsoft holds the ultimate key to preventing these particular abuses of the law.


Now that proprietary software EULAs are upheld in US courts (covered just days ago), it is abundantly clear that no 'donation' of proprietary software is worthwhile. It's a rent and it's also a lock-in. Jos Poortvliet, the OpenSUSE Community Manager, recommends "another way for Freedom" in Russia:

This past weekend the New York Times ran a story on how the Russian government has used software licensing to squelch dissent protests and prevent environmentalists and other activists from organizing. The article explains how Russian police stop or stymie dissent activities, by seizing the activist's computers with the excuse that they were using pirated software. With the data obtained from those computers, the activist's plans become known to the government leading to several arrests.

Though Microsoft has responded by issuing a blanket license for NGOs, reading this article made me think there is another, better way to prevent the police from using this high-tech tactic without the entanglements of licensing. While it won't stop an authoritarian government from crushing dissenters, using Free and Open Source Software can make it harder for police operating in suppressive regimes to legitimize this type of action.

First, the philosophy of Freedom deeply permeates the men and women in the community who develop Open Source Software and has resulted in many freedom-protecting innovations. Things like GPG encyption and the TOR technology, which make anonymous communication possible for millions of users in countries like China and Iran. Not to mention the fact, that in the open source world we have a strong focus on security and protection from threats like viruses or potential 'backdoors' put into commercial software through pressure from governments.


Brazil has understood the importance of freedom (liberty) for quite some time and hopefully its schools will successfully resist Microsoft's Russia-like attacks on GNU/Linux in Brazilian schools. See the posts below for background.



Comments

Recent Techrights' Posts

[Meme] Unconstitutional Proceedings in Foreign Languages for the Benefit of Corporations Outside Europe
Why does the UPC even exist?
EPO: Language of Conflict
A letter about this has already seen sent
Links 13/05/2024: Wikimedia Rides Hype Wave, XBox Expected to Go Through More Layoffs This Summer (July)
Links for the day
When Lunatics Attack Your Family (Especially Women)
The attacks on my wife and my mom are rather revealing. These are acts of extreme misogyny.
Linux is Released Too Often, Tested Insufficiently (Same as Chromium, Firefox, and Systemd)
Driven by schedule, not quality (objective criterion)
 
Slashdot Parrots Microsoft/Red Hat PR, Sponsored by Microsoft/Red Hat
The editorial work by "EditorDavid" leaves much to be desired
Links 13/05/2024: Clown Computing Failing Again, Navalny Posthumously Awarded Prize
Links for the day
FSF-EEE (FSFE) and Microsoft, or How Microsoft Keeps Paying the Fake 'FSF Europe'
The FSF-EEE is not even authorised to use the name FSFE
Android Rises to 59% Market Share in Hungary, Windows Falls to All-Time Low
GNU/Linux in Hungary Reaches 3.5%
Approaching Our 3,000th Post (After Moving to a Static Site Generator Back in September)
the main purpose is to enable people to catch up
[Video] The Microsoft Crisis Isn't Over (More Mass Layoffs Planned)
We saw many attempts at suppressing information lately
Don’t Use Disney Minus. (Disney “Plus”)
Reprinted with permission from Ryan Farmer
Gemini Links 13/05/2024: Kingdom of the Dead and Narrative Adventure Game Gem
Links for the day
Visually Enhanced Interviews With ESR and RMS on Free Software (With French)
Nom de code - Linux
IRC Proceedings: Sunday, May 12, 2024
IRC logs for Sunday, May 12, 2024
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
GNU/Linux Rises to Record High in Macao
iOS and Android are very big there
Debian: Let's Pretend We Never Knew Daniel Pocock
Ad hominem is what happens when the message is hard to dispute
DPL Sam Hartman proves blackmail is alive and well in Debian
Reprinted with permission from disguised.work
What is a safe space?
Reprinted with permission from the Free Software Fellowship
Does Debian deserve an independent news service?
Reprinted with permission from disguised.work
Linux.com So Neglected If Not Abandoned That It Promotes Deals That Expired 4 Weeks Ago
Quite some "stewardship" by the Linux Foundation
The Fall of Meritocracy in Tech
nuff said
Microsoft Has Lost Malta
Android has caught up
In Asia, Baidu Has Become Bigger Than Bing and Yandex is Getting There Too
XBox and Bing are going through existential crises
"Having IBM Next to Your Name is a Scarlet Letter"
IBM staff just motivated not to work
Techrights Browsing Made Easier
a draft for discussion
Links 12/05/2024: XBox Founders Say Microsoft Lost Its Identity
Links for the day
Gemini Links 12/05/2024: Enshitification and Mind Maps
Links for the day
Aside From Red Hat Spam and Partisan Media There's a Lingering Rumour of Layoffs
Some rumour said IBM had second thoughts about a WARN notice and delayed that a bit
The Albanian open source community is very healthy indeed
Windows nosedives from 99.1% to a lot less
When I discovered people trafficking in open source software
Reprinted with permission from Daniel Pocock
Web Sites Hijacked by WIPO on Behalf of Microsoft-Sponsored SPI (and People Looking to Hide Embarrassing Facts)
debian.chat; debiancommunity.org; debian.day; debian.family; debian.finance; debian.giving; debiangnulinux.org; debian.guide; debian.news; debian.plus; debianproject.community; debianproject.org; debian.team; debian.video
Julian Assange on Privacy of People, Even Little Children
Facebook/Google (or GAFAM, an acronym I coined with Assange) knows you better than your mom knows you
[Meme] Miscomprehension of GDPR
Social control in general is a ticking timebomb
In Haiti, the Market Share of Windows Collapsed (From 97% to 27% on Desktops/Laptops)
A couple of months ago Windows was measured at 3.04%
In Most Countries It's Still Possible Not to Have a 'Smartphone' and to Pay for Nearly Everything With Cash
Withdrawing money will be possible as long as enough people use many ATMs (cash machines)
Expect Lots of Material From Daniel Pocock as Election Day Nears
The experiences of Daniel Pocock were an excellent example of reprisal or retribution against either whistleblowers or people who give a voice to whistleblowers
I've Been Promoting Free Software for Over 25 Years
I wrote my first computer program when I was about 14, maybe a little younger (I have visual memory of it)
Reminder: Richard Stallman's Talk is This Week in Paris (and in French)
Defending rms isn't the same as defending everything he has ever said
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Saturday, May 11, 2024
IRC logs for Saturday, May 11, 2024
Online Bullying (Trying to Make People Unhappy)
Narcissists and bullies behind mice and keyboards, no honesty or fact-checking required
Talk About Software Freedom
"Linux" and "BSD" may mean a lot to more and more people, but they're still just brands or acronyms
Windows in South Korea: From 98.5% in 2010 to About 30% (Android Rises to Almost 50%)
Samsung ships like a million Linux devices per day
Improving Site Navigation for Easier Discovery and Catch-ups
This site is run by code we wrote ourselves
LibrePlanet 2024 Recordings
Let's hope independent recordings by viewers can help recovery of "lost talks" (recordings)
GNU/Linux Reaches 11% Market Share in the United States Of America - an All-Time High
The United States Of America is where the operating system started (Boston) and where Linus Torvalds works (Portland)
[Meme] Being Believed, Not Censored or Defamed
Daniel Pocock, Zini, and John Sullivan (FSF)
Links 11/05/2024: XBox Crisis, Spotify Exodus Continues
Links for the day
Gemini Links 11/05/2024: Why to Delete GitHub
Links for the day
In Europe, Bing Fell Every Month This Year, Lost a Considerable Share Since "Bing Chat" and All the Chatbot Hype
Microsoft's Bing has had many layoffs lately
Links 11/05/2024: Analysis of the Microsoft Crisis and Backdoor-Looking Bugs
Links for the day
Attacking the Messenger?
Stack Overflow and LLM licencing
Microsoft Fired Loads of Staff in Kenya, Which is Another Large Country Where GNU/Linux Has Grown a Lot
Microsoft pays Kenyans only 2 dollars an hour for an IT/office job
Knowing the True History of Debian, Owing to Irish Debian Developer Daniel Pocock (Currently Running to Become Member of the European Parliament)
Irish-Australian and scapegoat of a highly dysfunctional 'Debian family'
Attacking by Credentials
Modest people do not demand fancy titles
Microsoft Windows Used to Have 99% of the OS Market in Jordan, Now It's Just 13% (Less Than iOS)
Based on the data of statCounter, GNU/Linux in Jordan climbed from 0.62% in May 2014 to nearly 5% right now
More Nations Are Reaching and Exceeding 5% Market Share for GNU/Linux, Microsoft Wants to be Bailed Out Again
Microsoft is once again reaching out to Biden for a bailout - a subject we'll cover in a video some time this weekend
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Friday, May 10, 2024
IRC logs for Friday, May 10, 2024
[Meme] What Do You Call a Woman Who Does BDS on Free Software? Elana Hamasman.
Here are some confused thoughts
[Meme] Mission Aborted
Mission Aborted: cancel RMS
Taking Things Up a Notch
we strive/aim towards 15-25 new pages per day, i.e. around 500 per month or 6,000 per year